Wrongful Termination In An At-Will Employment State
Proving wrongful termination is often difficult. Because California is an at-will employment state, any employee can be fired at the will of the employer at any time for any reason unless it is in violation of an employment contract, public policy or law. Documenting everything that you can, and acting quickly is critical to success. If you believe you were wrongfully terminated, your first step should be consulting with a wrongful termination lawyer as soon as possible.
Reasons For Termination That Are Considered Unlawful
In broad terms, termination of employment is illegal if it arises from discrimination, retaliation, or a violation of law, an employment contract or public policy. A violation of public policy includes things such as firing an employee for taking time off to serve in the National Guard, vote or serve on a jury. It is also illegal to fire an employee in retaliation for reporting what is reasonably believed to be illegal activity, or unsafe conditions in the workplace which is often referred to as “whistleblowing activity.”
Firing an employee based on discrimination because of their age, gender, disability or other personal characteristics and protected classifications is also grounds for a wrongful termination lawsuit.
Contact The Turk Law Firm
If you believe that you were wrongfully terminated, contact me today to set up a free initial consultation by calling 818-962-7586 or filling out my online contact form.